The Cursed
by Katiebugg
Summary: An Unforgettable Story about a Long Forgotten Cat...
1. The Begining

The Cursed 

I do not own Fruits Basket or any of its characters; this is purely a spin off and does not relate to the main story at all. The Folk Tale is also something I made up Sorry! Please enjoy the story.

Chapter 1

I sniffed the air curiously. It smelled so odd, so familiar, as if it was something I had forgotten long ago. I noticed when some nearby students were staring curiously. I quickly stopped; I didn't want to get on the bad side of them before I even got to meet them. That happened too much.

I had a secret. When I was little, someone told me that I, Sohma Li Na, was the Night Cat of the Sohma Family. I didn't and still don't know why I am like that or if there were any other people are like me, but there was one thing that was for certain: someone wanted me to have a horrible life.  
My mother, who was a Sohma, moved from Japan to China, having been a fanatic of its history and legends. She soon met my father, Zhang Fei, and they had a child, me. When they found out that I was the Night Cat, they did what everyone else has for my whole life, reject me. They managed to raise me for a several years before dumping me in Japan, where I had to fend for myself.

I walked up the steps to the high school, my body trembling. The school courtyard was filled with chattering students. They all looked at me when I walked past them. I blushed, knowing that they must have been marveling my only good trait, my thick silky hair and soft emerald eyes. My hair was very healthy, instead of having a bluish tint that most black hair has, it had a white shine, letting it stand out.

I went to the office, where they told me where to find my class. Without any trouble, I found the classroom for my first period: Social Studies. I swiped the door open to see a neat, loud class, all hushed immediately to see the new student. The teacher stood up expectantly, leading me into the middle of the desk.

"Good Morning Students." The teacher called their attention. "I would like to introduce a new student for the rest of the year. Sohma Li Na-san has come from Kyoto and I hope you will welcome her as a normal student." I sensed some backs stiffen once they heard the name Sohma. I wondered distantly if they knew my family before wiping it from my mine. Sohma was a common name.

"Li Na-san, you may take a seat next to Miyuzaki Fuyumi-san." I walked to my seat, my gaze lingering on the red-brown haired girl and the boy who sat to the right of me. The boy had a fiery orange mane which I was positive was dyed. He looked grumpy and snappish. I made sure to stay clear out of his way.

As the class started, we all took out our supplies for notes. I realized to my dismay that my favorite ink pen had leaked all of its contents onto my sheets of paper, ruining them all. I felt pathetic. I picked out one of the least ruined papers and tried frantically copy down the notes on the board. Unfortunately, the pen started to blot and run all over the paper, making it worse. I felt like a huge idiot. This was so me, making a mistake from the start.

"You're helpless." I heard the boy next to me murmur. I looked over to see him staring at me with the corner of his eye. "Do you want some paper?" I shook my head and gave him the tiniest smile I could bear before I would burst into tears.  
"That's okay, you'll need it later. I don't want to cause you any trouble…" I saw something in the boy move. It was more like a shifting of the head or a cock of the eye brow. I looked away and was glad to find extra paper in my notebook, completely ink free. I used a pencil from then on.

Luckily, nothing bad happened throughout the whole class. Maybe this school was lucky for me. As the bell rung, I gathered all of my things and was dismissed out for passing period.

My next class was gym, which was always a horror in my world. The coach's was rough and the games were always hard for me. After I got changed into the uniform, the teacher told us to get into pairs for dodge ball.

I planned to just quietly wait until the last person available would have to come to me. But that didn't happen. A girl with light brown hair walked eagerly up to me. I recognized her as being one of the girls who was staring at me since the beginning of gym class.

"Hi, do you have a partner?" I looked at her in wonderment then I shook my head.  
"I'm Honda Tohru! I hope we can be partners. I have to admit, I'm not very good at dodgeball, but I'll do my best." She gave a little giggle at herself. I looked up at her; a shy smile came across my face.  
"Of course. My name is Sohma Li Na, and we didn't do this at my old school, so I'm sure I'll be just horrid." I replied softly. Again, the word Sohma made her click and she gave a happy squeal.  
"Really? A Sohma? So, do you know Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun?" I shook my head.  
"Never heard of them." Tohru's face reddened.

"I-I'm sorry!" I sputtered apologetically. She quickly shook her head in earnest.  
"No, I'm the one that should be sorry for mistaking you!"

"It's okay. So, do you know how to play dodgeball?"

The rest of the day wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, since Tohru happened to be in all my other classes. She was so nice, being with me the whole time, helping me when I was alone. But I felt she just felt like she needed to be my friend because I was alone. It was after school that I asked her if this was true, as casually as I could.

"Um, Honda-san?"  
"Yes?"  
"Is the reason your being so nice to me is because you feel sorry for me?" It seemed her whole face widened.  
"Of course not Li Na-san! What, was something I did to make you think that? I'm so sorry I made you feel that way!" Her face flushed as she apologized many times. I actually felt elated for a few moments before I got back down to earth.  
"Thank you Honda-san for being honest. Most people think that way about me." My voice trailed off but Tohru just smiled.  
"Well, I never thought for a minute like that. I hope I'm not prying, but who would ever feel that way about you? You're just about the prettiest and nicest girl I've met!" My eyes popped open.  
"No! I'm not-err-um; uh I'm not pretty at all Honda-san!" Tohru gave me a pat on the shoulder.  
"You may think like that Li Na-san, but I still think you're beautiful. But you're just as pretty on the inside." She gave me a soft smile, and to my surprise, my eyes filled with tears. Nobody ever called me nice, much less beautiful. Not even my own father would had ever said that. More tears rolled off my eyes and onto my cheeks as I began to tell her about my past.

I ended up sobbing into her shoulder, as Tohru began telling me how wonderful of a person I was. It felt so good for someone to tell me I was a good person.

After I finished crying, I gave her a tiny sincere smile. It was the first time in a long time I had smiled sincerely. I felt like a new person, well more like I felt a little cleaner, a little lighter,

This school was the place for me. And I knew it.


	2. Questions

Chapter Two

Li Na-chan. Such a shy pretty girl, with her enchanting green eyes. But she seems so…just secluded and…hurt. I could barely get two words out of her, let alone a smile. But she did share a surname with the boys…

But me thinking and walked behind Yuki in the entry hall isn't a good idea.

"Ah! Yuki-kun!" I spluttered, taking my head away from where it had hit his back. "I'm so sorry!"

"Oh, it's alright Honda-san." Yuki's face looked over his shoulder down at me. "Is something on your mind?" He asked, noticing my puzzled face.

"Um, not really but…" I wrung my hands nervously. "Do you know a girl named Li Na in your family?" Yuki thought for a little while before shaking his head.

"Hmm…does Kyo-kun know?" I looked behind me at Kyo, who had just come through the door.

"What?" Kyo asked absently, looking surprised at me.  
"She asked you a question you baka neko. Maybe next time you should listen!" Yuki said in a dead pan voice

"Who said I wasn't listening you kuso nezumi!" Kyo shouted back. He turned back to me, looking a little guilty. "It doesn't ring a bell."

My brow was furrowed in thought. Yuki and Kyo were both wonderful, but sometimes they didn't always remember people. But, then again, Sohma is a common name. I quickly changed from my uniform into some working clothes.

"Shigure, do you need help with anything?" Shigure smiled before he shook his head.

"I've heard that you were looking for a Sohma." I blinked in surprise as a flush rushed to my face. Was asking for her a sensitive subject?

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Shigure quickly added, the tone of his voice making sure that this wasn't a big problem, "But you know how Kyo and Yuki aren't too quiet when they talk. But, you said the girls name is Li Na?" I nodded.

"You know, it doesn't ring a bell for me either, and her name is Chinese. No Sohma's have ever been born in China. I'm sorry I couldn't help you Tohru-chan."

"That's alright Shigure, Maybe I was just wrong. Now, do you have any dirty clothes I can wash?" Shigure gave me another smile and pointed to the basket on the floor.

While I was doing the laundry and humming, I saw Yuki

"Are you going out for a walk?" I asked him. He turned to me before giving me a guilty smile.  
"Actually, I was. I was going to check out my vegetables. Did you want to come?"  
"Sure! Oh, if it's not any trouble of course..."

"No trouble at all, I assure you." Yuki said politely. Folding the last shirt neatly, I put it on the dryer and followed Yuki.


	3. Introductions

Chapter Three

I felt scared thinking of History without Tohru. Things tended to be worse than the other classes, especially today, when I stood up in front of the whole class and started softly to make a speech on the American Civil War before finding out that it was supposed to be on the Revolutionary War. I hid tear-filled eyes with my bangs as I made my way back to my desk after turning in the paper.

"Wow, talk about dense." A low voice said next to me. I peeked out of my hair to see the fire-haired boy was talking. He wasn't looking at me, but I knew he was talking to me. I quickly hid my face again and felt even more embarrassed.

"I-I'm sorry…I'm not very smart…" I replied, my voice barely over a whisper.

"Yeah, I can tell." He answered, and the comment stung. But he didn't say anymore, so the hurt quickly went away. But I felt that I deserved it a little. It was my own fault I was too stupid I couldn't read the assignments properly.

But after that, things started to go a little better. I had found my homework and quietly turned it in.

"Make sure you get your assignments right Sohma-san. I normally wouldn't have accepted your homework, but I'll let you off." I looked down to see that I had gotten a good grade on it. I bowed and felt better. High School wasn't so bad…For now.

"Sohma-san!" A voice called to me when I was getting out of History. I turned to see a boy with dark brown hair. I had never seen him before.

"H-Hello…um…" I said shyly, feeling timid again.

"Hayamo Motohari." He quickly added brightly. "I just wanted to say to ignore what Sensei says, he's stupid. I thought your presentation was good."

"R-Really?" I stammered, feeling my face flush. "I-I was really nervous a-and it was on the wrong thing…"

"Pssh, forget about that! I wanted to tell you something else." I looked curiously at him. "I think you're beautiful." I blinked

"What? B-B-!" Suddenly my face felt like a furnace, with a red color to match. I quickly closed my open mouth and ran away to my class before I could embarrass myself more.

I put my hands to my warm cheeks. Wow. That was…weird. I began to think if he meant it at all, before I remembered what happened the last time I thought that. I knew what he wanted. They all wanted me for my body…and that's what he wants. I quickly shook my head and kept my eyes forward onto my next class.

"-And then he said I was beautiful Tohru-kun…And I don't even know him…" I told Tohru in gym as we warmed up for running. We lined up with the rest of the girls to begin running. We both were pretty bad at it so we were usually last.

"Maybe he likes you Li Na-chan! I can see why too." I smiled at her.

"But…do you think he really meant it?" I asked uncertainly. Tohru nodded happily.

"You know, Yuki-kun has his own fan club here. This school is known to be a little…strange for stuff like that." She started to pant a little harder, making it difficult to understand her. I still felt unconvinced.

"You damn rat! I'm going to beat you this time!" I heard a shout echo across the field, followed by a cool reply.  
"It's the same speech every time stupid cat, I'm getting tired of it." As it was the boys turn to run, two strangely hair-colored boys tore off, way ahead of the other boys. They cleared one lap very fast. I couldn't see anything through the dust, only a shiny wisp of silver hair.  
"Go! Make the Sohma family proud guys!" Tohru cheered on after them.  
"Sohma family? You mean those two are the ones you though I was related to?" Tohru nodded.  
"I'm going to introduce them to you alright?" I could barely protest as she tugged me over to meet one of them. The other was long gone after shouting at him and went to get changed back into his regular clothes. The one left was the silver haired one.

"Yuki-kun! How was the run?" Tohru asked excitedly. Yuki gave a smooth smile, his eyes glittered with affection.  
"Fine as usual, I would be a lot nicer if that stupid cat wasn't here to bother-" He stopped in midsentence and quickly changed the subject. "Is this a new friend Honda-san?"  
"Yes, Yuki-kun, meet Li Na Sohma, the one I told you about." I blushed. Yuki was incredibly handsome, with silver hair that perfectly framed his face and had a charming smile.  
"Nice to meet you Li Na-san, strange to have a common surname isn't it?" I nodded, looking down at my feet. My attention was distracted when I heard whispers.

"Look at her, the one with the shiny hair!"  
"She's pretty, but she probably thinks that she's all that 'cause she's talkin' to the Prince."  
"She's still so new, what a show off, pretending to be to cool. What a freaking loser." This was followed by snickers.

I gave them a sideways glance. And added glare. Not that I'm saying I'm better then anyone, but sometimes under my little self confidence is a hateful girl full of anger. I let some of it out in my green eyes as I glared at them. The gossipers immediately shut up, cowering,  
"Don't listen to them." Tohru said encouraging me,  
"They talk a lot, but you shouldn't take their comments to heart. I'm going to see Kyo-kun, you talk to Yuki-kun okay?" I mumbled something to her about lunch before she trotted off.

"So, you live around here?" He asked, walking with me. I shook my head.  
"My home town is China, but I moved here." I didn't want to trust him too easily, nothing good happens from it.  
"I had to go through a change like that too, going from my one cousin's house to another. It was a lot harder then it sounds." I nodded in agreement.  
"Me too. I actually didn't have any friends until I came here, and the only person who would talk to me was Tohru-chan." I closed my eyes and thought of the way she smiled at me, a heart so good and kind.  
"She's amazing isn't she?" He said. This was something more important than it sounded. I nodded again.  
"She makes you feel like there is some real actual good in this place we call a world." Yuki nodded and agreement and we walked in silence  
"Um, Yuki-san? I think we should go back before the locker doors close." I told him quietly. We both had walked very far away from the lockers and were going away from the school. He looked back and chuckled.  
"Guess your right, c'mon let's go." Something creeped into his eyes as we walked as fast as we could back. I could have sworn my spirits were a little lighter as after we changed and Hayamo caught up to me after class and tried to talk to me again, but I ignored him while my thoughts trailed to gym class.


	4. Precious Moments Like These

**Chapter Four**

"Yuki-kun? Have you seen Kyo-kun?" I asked Yuki after we finished taking off our shoes. Yuki shook his head.  
"I think he went home after he ran in gym, doesn't surprise me." He said coolly.  
"Oh, Shigure-san? You haven't seen him either?" I asked Shigure, who was in his office.  
"No I haven't Tohru-chan, but I think he went out." Shigure said over his books.  
I wonder where he is. After thanking Shigure for his time, I looked on his favorite spot on the roof to see if he was there. He wasn't. I was about to forget about it and go to the store and shop for dinner, when I heard a knocking on the door.

"Eh? Kisa-chan!" I squealed and hugged the little girl. She hugged me back, and after we pulled away, she handed me something.  
"Here, this is from Hiro-chan. It was for your birthday a few months back. He said he didn't want it and it was in his way." Kisa held out a little jewelry box that shone like an emerald. There was nothing in it, but it was beautiful as is.  
"It's so beautiful!" I told her. "Tell him thank you, I'm so grateful, but I don't know if I can accept this. It looks precious." Kisa shook her head  
"He would have wanted you to have it onee-san." She assured me.

"So, Kisa's here." Yuki said as we came through the hall. "Nice to see you." Kisa blushed and mumbled a hello.  
"Kisa, I was just going to go shopping, but I think we have some leftover fish we can make a casserole. Do you want to help?" Kisa nodded and put on a huge smile as she began to put on an apron too large for her and followed me into the kitchen.

Yuki watched Tohru help Kisa measure salt for the dinner. She encouraged Kisa whenever she made a mistake with a big smile. Yuki smiled, Tohru was so kind, never thinking of herself for one moment.  
"Ah! Yuki-kun! Can I help you with something?" She asked as she noticed me staring. I shook my head.  
"Not at all Honda-san. I just wanted to know if I could help." He replied gently. Tohru thought thoughtfully.  
"Well, while dinner is baking, do you want to help Kisa set the table?" She asked. Yuki was too happy to help Kisa left the heavy dining plates.

"Kyo-kun's not back..." He heard her murmur over the stove while Kisa went to get Shigure.

"No, he's not. I don't think he would really be hurt over that loss today." He said, coming to her side.  
"I thought so too. I just wonder where he is... Was it something I did?" She asked. Yuki was frustrated. He didn't want thoughts of that stupid cat worrying Tohru. At all.  
"Honda-san, there is nothing you could ever do wrong to make us angry." Yuki said gently. Tohru looked up at him with surprise.  
"S-sure there were! How about the time when I accidentally let all those stray cats into your room and didn't tell you? Or the time where I made that leek ice cream with Hanajima-chan and Uo-chan for fun? Kyo-kun ate it on accident when I said that he could if he wanted too, I forgot tell him it was made of leeks!" Yuki only smiled remembering those things. They were fun memories, even though they were a little sticky, but he had never thought of being mad at Tohru.  
"All those times Tohru, those were just times that we got to know you better. To get to know the other side of you. Even though you can be forgetful, that's just a part of you that we can now see well." He took a little pause, leaning towards Tohru, smiling. "Those will always be fond memories. Very precious to us."

Tohru went ten shades of red. She began stammering things about how her clumsiness got in trouble, just when she began to back away, she tripped over the kitchen rug and fell over, hitting her head on the counter.  
"Honda-san! Honda-san are you alright?" Yuki asked anxiously. Tohru was still red but telling him how it hadn't hurt one bit.  
Yuki couldn't help but laugh quietly. Who wouldn't? Tohru began to laugh too, know that things were alright.  
Yuki held out a hand for her, which she gratefully accepted. He powerful arms swung her into the air in no time, causing to fall into him a little.  
"Ah! Did I walk in on something?" Shigure said slyly as he walked. Tohru blushed.  
"If you really must, go flirt somewhere else, but seriously, in the kitchen? Yuki, where is you pride? There ARE more romantic spots."  
"SHIGURE!" Yuki thundered through clenched teeth.


	5. Pain and Peace

Chapter Five

I saw them. I saw them laughing and talking. My rage increased to see her smile at him that way, the way she never did at ME. I clenched my teeth and scowled. HE always knew what to say didn't he? Always the right thing to make her smile or laugh.  
That was the way it was. The Rat always beating the Cat. I was just coming back from school; I had a detention because I broke a desk after seeing Yuki talk gently to Tohru…again.

I began to walk to Shishou's dojo, where I could truly think and have peace. I ran because it started to rain. Great. I didn't bring an umbrella. As I finally reached the dojo, I was soaking wet. I shook myself and wrung out my jacket before taking my shoes off and pulling my dojo uniform from the bag I was carrying. I was going to go to this place anyway, but now, I needed it more then ever. I closed my eyes and began to relax, thinking of all the times Shishou helped me get over my impatience. I smiled.

"Do you come here often?" A small voice said behind me. I turned around to see a small boy with white hair and an old-fashioned kimono.  
"What? Why are you in here?" I said rudely, to make sure he knew that he wasn't welcome. Who was this kid? The boy smiled, little dimples formed on his cheeks.  
"That's a secret. But I know your name. Kyo Sohma. I've heard a lot about you, the Cat of the Zodiac." I scowled.  
"What would you know about it?" I asked angrily. Great, a little punk who was going to tell me what to do. "You don't know anything about me!" The boy stopped smiling. He frowned thoughtfully.  
"I guess It's up to you Kyo, to know what to do. But remember, the ones who are left out may be the happiest of them all." He said quietly. He smiled again, and disappeared. What the hell?

"Kyo-kun?" A deep voice said behind me. I swung around.  
"Shishou!" It was Shishou, standing there in his uniform too. I ran up to him and tried to throw a punch at him, before he caught it and twisted my fist. "It's great to see you!" He smiled.  
"It's great to see you too." He said, smiling. I smiled back.

"So, how was your journey to the mountains?" I asked as we began our exercise.  
"Ah, it was beautiful, you should have been there. The experience was great too." He said as he blocked one of my kicks. Shishou had gone up to Mt. Fuji and trained up in the high atmosphere to build up his endurance.  
"I wish I could, but I have to stay with Shigure." I replied. Then I remembered. Shigure, Yuki…..Tohru. I gave a punch at Shishou's stomach that could have cracked a boulder.  
"Has something happened?" Shishou asked, noticing my anger. "It's Yuki isn't it?" He said seriously. He knew it hit home when he saw my face flush.  
"Nothing has gone on with her or him." I said non-convincingly.

"You know Kyo," Shishou said after a while. "I can tell how you feel. Your luck for being in the Zodiac curse is not the greatest, but you know, if this girl can break part of the curse, any part, we should be more than thankful." He completed in a slow manner. I gave him a dark glare.  
"Kyo, I think Tohru-san is getting worried about you being away for so long. Shigure asked Hatori to help Tohru look for you." I flushed, just thinking of her looking for me out in the rain…….just like last time. I gave a last kick and stopped. Much to my dismay, Shishou didn't take it as surrender and gave me a power punch that sent me halfway across the room.  
"Owwww…." I said, rubbing my cheek where his fist smartly hit.  
"Never drop down your guard. You should look for her, it isn't raining so hard." He gave me a smile. I did my best to frown and put my shoes on, but it ended up like a sheepish cat that had gotten out of the bag. I bowed and thanked him before running out into the drizzling rain.

"Tohru?" I yelled into the night, just to make sure she wasn't nearby. I heard nothing. I ran a few blocks to get to a main road, but gave up and waited under a shop awning.  
After what it seemed like hours, I heard footsteps.  
"Kyo?" Tohru swung around the corner, with her umbrella looking mangled. "Kyo!" She said relieved and began to run towards me, but tripped and fell into a ditch.  
"Stupid!" I hissed, helping her up. "Watch where you're going!"  
"I-I'm sorry," She apologized.  
"No! I didn't mean it like that! Stupid!" Damn, it sounded like I was accusing her. I flushed and grabbed the umbrella from her hand. "You can't run and carry something at the same time can you?"  
"Thank you Kyo-kun! You're so nice!" She gave me one of those blinding smiles. I turned pink  
"God, it's not that hard." I murmured, not really caring if I was heard. As we walked in the rain, I noticed something. She smelled…nice. Her smell calmed him from when the Damn Rat was practically making out with her. I clenched the umbrella harder.  
"Um, Kyo-kun? Ummm, where were you? I didn't see you after school." She looked up worried that she wasn't prying. Might as well tell her the truth.  
"Well, the truth is that…" I started. Then I blushed and shouted, "It's none of you damn business!" and threw the umbrella on the ground. Uh-oh. Noticing what I just did, I picked up the umbrella again. To my horror, Tohru's eyes began to tear up.  
"NO! I didn't mean-!" I cried at her, but she interrupted with her tears.  
"I'm so sorry. K-Kyo-kun." She stammered. "I shouldn't have asked. I won't again!" She said, suddenly determined and clenched a fist. "From now on, I won't pry into your business Kyo-kun!" She wiped away her tears and tried her best to put on a determined face. I couldn't help but snort.

"Ah! Did I say something wrong?" She asked, but I wasn't really listening. I gave her a half-smile and stopped before it became too noticeable.  
"You know Tohru; you just know how to screw things up." I said, and we walked all the way back to the house.


End file.
